Applying a Health Lens to Municipal Policy Making Dr. Lisa Simon, Associate Medical Officer of Health AMO Conference August 15, 2016

Outline Local public health Applying a health lens 5 ways to bring a health lens to municipal policy making

Local Public Health in Ontario 36 local public health agencies Each governed by a Board of Health with partial or complete membership by municipal politicians Legislative mandate from Health Protection and Promotion Act MOHLTC establishes Ontario Public Health Standards Municipal and provincial funding

Applying a Health Lens Applying a health lens to municipal policy making = considering health implications when developing policy outside the health sector Why do it?: Most powerful impacts on health and health equity are outside health purview, & policy change is most powerful tool People want to live places that support health & wellness Strong return on investment Policy will be made anyways…don’t lose value-added opportunity to make it healthy

Determinants of Health

5 ways to bring a health lens to municipal policy making

1. Make Use of Your Public Health Agency Collaborate/consult Health data/evidence Board of Health advocacy Tools & Resources

2. Form Cross-Sector Committees Bring health and other sector perspectives to policy agendas focused on: Health & Wellness Active transportation Land use planning Transportation Food & agriculture Child & Youth-friendly, Age-friendly Community safety Economic development Poverty reduction Affordable housing Environment

3. Use Health Impact Assessments A process that provides predictions of potential impacts of a proposed project/policy on health and health equity of a population, and suggests ways to improve Consider using for policies such as: Land use and transportation planning Food and agriculture policy Economic policy Housing policy Climate change policy Alcohol policy, etc.

HIA Steps P R O S A L Screening Scoping Appraisal Recommendations Evaluation

4. Adopt ‘Health in All Policies’ An approach to public policies across sectors that systematically takes into account the health implications of decisions, seeks synergies, and avoids harmful health impacts in order to improve population health and health equity Supports other sectors in achieving their goals, while taking population health into consideration (win-win) Implemented via inter-departmental and cross-sector committees or coordinators, HIA, community engagement, etc. Shankardass et al, 2016; NCCHPP, 2014; WHO, 2010

5. Become a ‘Healthy Municipality’ World Health Organization’s ‘Healthy Municipalities and Communities’ movement E.g. Vancouver’s Healthy City Strategy 2014-2025

Summary of approaches Make use of your public health agency Form cross-sector committees Use Health Impact Assessments Adopt ‘Health in All Policies’ Become a ‘Healthy Municipality’

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